01/08/2024

In the complex ecosystem of SQL Server, performance issues can sometimes feel like detective work, especially when tracking down the elusive culprits behind system locks. This time, we’re exploring how ineffective queries (and poorly executed query monitoring) can grind operations to a halt, and how to identify the “how” and “why” behind the halt. 

From scrutinizing load trends to dissecting lock histories and refining execution plans, we’re making sure that no stone—or should we say, no data block—remains unturned in our quest to keep SQL Server zipping along like a sports car rather than trudging like a pack mule.

• Blog
• Microsoft SQL
• Performance Monitor

18/07/2024

There’s a peculiar habit among some database professionals occasionally to toss logical and physical replication into the same bin. One might as well say socks and shoes are the same because, after all, they both go on your feet, right? But as anyone who’s tried wearing socks in the snow can attest, similarities on the surface can hide a whole universe of differences between logical vs physical replication.

Blurring together logical and physical replication, or neglecting their differences can lead to inefficient data management strategies. Each method has its merits and ideal scenarios of use. Knowing just when to apply each one—understanding their unique roles in the spectrum of data management—helps avoid unnecessary workload, optimizes performance, and ensures data integrity.

• Blog
• Data Replicator
• Microsoft SQL
• Oracle
• PostgreSQL

04/07/2024

Executions plan—complex maps charted by the SQL Server optimizer, dictate the most efficient route for data retrieval. However, the plans are not static. They morph and adapt, influenced by a host of factors ranging from data volume changes to system upgrades. Each of the execution plan changes in SQL Server has the potential to sway performance dramatically.

Understanding the reasons behind these shifts, and more importantly, how to effectively manage them translates to maintaining optimal performance in SQL Server environments.

• Blog
• Microsoft SQL
• Performance Monitor

27/06/2024

Performance issues rarely occur in isolation. Often, a single problem can trigger a cascade of related issues, each compounding the overall impact on the system. This case study explores such a scenario in the T10 database on the g1rush server. 

• Blog
• Microsoft SQL
• Oracle
• Performance Monitor
• PostgreSQL

20/06/2024

Execution plans choose the way in which SQL queries are executed by the database engine. As such, they are a difference between a smoothly running database and one that stumbles under load. Sometimes, an execution plan changes, for various reasons—often silently and without warning—and the far-reaching fallout can be huge.

The most immediate impact seen as the execution plan changes is a decline in query performance. A query that once ran smoothly in milliseconds might, due to an altered plan, start consuming seconds. This increase in query time can cascade into longer load times for applications, frustrated end-users, and severe financial repercussions in high-stakes environments such as financial trading platforms or real-time data services.

• Blog
• Microsoft SQL
• Performance Monitor